Siskiyou Union High School - White and Gold Yearbook (Weed, CA)

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FIRST PLACE STORY Into the Sky Winnie sat on the grass mat in front of her tepee. Gnarled, stubby fingers worked the reeds in and out as she wove her basket. Tell us a story, Grandmother. Come on, one like yesterday, two happy brown children skipped forward. Winnie's head turned toward the sound, a smile crossed her wrinkled face. Well, grandchildren, she started, what about the time the Great Spirit saved me? Yes, Grandmother. Yes, tell us, they chimed. Many moons ago, as a child, I- lost my sight. Many thought that I would die young, that l would have no strength, or be killed by some wood crea- ture. Yes, but instead of eyesight, I was given the gift of great hearing, she smiled, but soon a puz- zled look crossed her face. Listen, my children, do you not hear something? she whispered with her fingers at her lips. The husky boy rose to his feet, his young sister after him. No, Grandmother, he smiled after awhile. Maybe your hearing is not so good, he grinned at his sister. Yes, it is wea ker, but still strong, she frowned. Listen once more. The boy listened again and smiled, but before he could speak he saw horses almost upon the village. Riders, Grandmother, he gasped. The braves are returning to the village, she smiled. No, the leader rides a white horse, he said. Captain Riley! Quick, Little Eagle, warn the women and children fast. Run to shelter, she cried in a frightened tone. A You come, too, Grandmother, he urged. Never mind! do as l say, she pleaded. The children jumped to their feet. The warning was spread throughout the village. The women and children escaped, all except Winnie. She sat motionless on the mat, still working at her basket. The thundering beat of the horses' hoofs came closer. At last the noise ceased, all except the snorting of a horse. The crazy savages have left the confounded place, the leader began, as his white horse pawed the ground. They must have heard us coming, another replied. At this time one of the men spied Winnie on the mat. Well, what do you know? A big fat old squaw, he roared. Look again, the leader replied. She's blind. Yes, another said. Her eyes have no color, 'cept whites. Winnie's fingers shook, but she kept working on her basket. Must be deaf, too, one laughed. Let's show her some good ol' hospitality, Captain Riley suggested. Two men seized her roughly and took her to the center of the village. Winnie pleaded for mercy. Cut it, you squaw. I can't understand that kind of gab anyway, the captain snarled. He threw her to the ground. Now find something to burn this thing up with. Let's get this over, he shouted. How about these mats and baskets and stuff, captain? asked one of the men. Okay! that'll make good kindling, the captain replied in a gruff voice. Winnie pleaded again. Her reply was a rough kick in the face. She lay bleeding as the baskets and mats were piled over her. A match was struck and the flames roared. The men stood around, but the odor was too unpleasant and they left, the fire roaring in the background. Towards dusk, when nothing remained but the ashes of Winnie's body, the children and others returned. The search began for Winnie. Long after the last rays of the sun had fallen behind the mountains, they searched in vain. Finally discouraged, with tears in their eyes, Little Eagle and his sister sat on a-rock on the ground near the ashes. Do you s'pose the Great Spirit saved her again and took her away? he gazed toward the sky. l Uh-huh, replied his small sister, a tear rolling down her cheek. A cool breeze fanned the dying embers as the children watched the few remaining ashes drift into 'he SkY- MARILYN cALKiNs '55 Weed High School LITERARY SECTION

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FIRST PLACE ESSAY Those Who Make the 'Play a Success An audience watching actors in a new play sees only the final achievement resulting from long months of rehearsal and study. Those viewing the play do not realize that behind the scenes it is necessary to have competent writers and directors, experts in charge of costumes and make-up, stage technicians, and many other people, all of wh-om are influencing factors in the finished product. If we look upon our high school life as a long and very important four-act play in which we, as students, are the principal actors, we find a simi- lar situation. The general public sees in the student only the completion of many people's tasks. We are judged for what we are, but far too little at- tention is given to the principal, the faculty, and our fellow actors who are partially responsible for developing our characters and personalities. However, ev en though it is necessary for guiding hands to prepare the way, we students must be willing to work and to learn our parts. In this small way we shall be helping to make the play a success and we shall be benefiting our- selves by becoming better actors. There are certain principles which we must follow in order to play successfully the role in which we are cast. For example, an actor who learns only his specific lines and takes no interest in the complete meaning of the play will never be a true artist. In the same way, one who is inter- ested only in himself, and does not bother to learn about his fellow actors will miss out on much of the fun and education he might have had. lt is the same way with a student. There are always those who are labeled as bookworms and those who play the lone-wolf type. They may be shy or unhappy or perhaps they are iust not interested, nevertheless, they are missing some of the best moments in the play. There are some students who, of course, go to the other extreme. They sail through high school laughing and playing, but they learn very little and they too lose much of the valuable knowledge they could have gained. We see then that it is up to the student to strike a happy medium. When this is accomplished, the LITERARY SECTION theater which is high school will become a happier one for all involved. One way to become we ll adjusted in this theater is to find the part in which you will be most happy and successful. Very few professional actors are versatile enough to play every kind of part and play it well. lt is the same with the high school student. Most of us have different degrees of ability and separate traits of character which mark us for a certain type of part. For instance, there are always the students destined for stardom who shine out like bright stars in a clear sky. There are many others, clustered around them, who in themselves have excellent possibilities, and these second-leads will often iourney on to success. ln almost every play there will be character parts, and in the school there are usually students ready to fill this role. And what a dull and sorry story it would often be without them! There are actors who play bit parts in the theater and a great number of these are found in the school. Some of them are always reliable and ready to help, others are not so willing, but no play could do without them and certainly no school could. And occasionally we find that fortune smiles on these bit players in the theater and they rise to stardom. Just as some- times in high school the mediocre student is dis- covered, and a hidden talent is displayed and recognized. We may see then that in the school, as in the theater, it is the combined efforts of a group of people working together which enables the play to grow. Without faculty guidance the students could never be prepared for future travels. Without the students and their interest there would be no in- centive for the directors. When we reach the climax in the last act and we are preparing to go on to another play in the tremendous drama of life, we realize the debt of gratitude that we owe to all those who helped in the theater which we call school. HARRIET KOCH '55 Weed High School

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FIRST PLACE POEM I God, Who Touchzst Earth with Beauty God, Who touchest earth with beauty, Make my heart anew, With Thy Spirit recreate me, Pure and strong and true. Like Thy springs and running waters, Make me crystal pure, Like Thy rocks of towering grandeur, Make me strong and sure, SECOND PLACE ESSAY Like Thy dancing waves in sunlight, Make me glad and free. Like the straightness of the pine trees, Let me upright be. Like the arching of the heavens, Lift my thoughts above, Turn my dreams to noble action, Ministries of love. VIOLA PARKINSON '57 Weed High School The Theater Which ls School Imagination can lead people to many strange and beautiful places. And so it was that as I read the theme of this year's White and Gold, I began to visualize the story of these, our youthful years. High school is truly one of life's finest produc- tions, with enough drama to make it spellbinding and spiced with comedy to make it interesting. It is a four-act play, complete with directors, man- agers, stars, and bit players. As these four acts unfold, knowledge is gained, characters are molded, and personalities are de- veloped, enabling the actors to face without stage- fright Iife's other dramas and comedies. We must not forget that a production is not complete without an audience. This play has the world around it to view the scenes, but, although this audience can be expected to praise or criticize, it cannot be expected to understand fully the prep- arations and the work which goes behind the scenes. It would be impossible to realize all the prob- lems of the teachers who are the directors of this LITERARY SECTION play. With them rests the iob of preparing the inexperienced actors. The work of the faculty is not easy, for it deals with teaching fundamentals to all types of students, and, as is the rule with actors, each has a distinct temperament. It is the earnest desire of these directors that each actor make the most of the role in which he is cast, and, with this thought in mind, they set about their work. If the play is a success, the directors share the glory, but if it should fail, the blame is uniustly theirs. This is a life of rewarding honors and heart-breaking failures. Theirs is a great respon- sibility. The audience iudges the actors by their per- formances. The parts they play form inthe mind of the public a definite impression which is diFfi- cult to erase, therefore, the student actors must be careful to know and to perform these parts well, for their actions are being watched by critical eyes. The stars of this production are the school leaders. To them goes the respect of the public as. well as of their fellow workers. The spotlight